“The world is in serious trouble.”
That is the first sentence from a very significant prophetic word delivered by Brother Copeland during Homecoming 2010 (the 2010 Southwest Believers’ Convention).
The sobering message continued.
“Some very hard things are coming in different places around the world. Very difficult times in a lot of places. They are that way now but they will not get better. They will continue to get worse and worse and worse. It is on a downhill run that the world cannot stop.”
We have all witnessed a number of very serious world events since that word was delivered.
“These are dangerous times. They are dangerous times financially. They are dangerous times in the earth because the earth is weighted under a gross weight of sin. There are things and places and situations underneath the earth, in the oceans, in the heavens. Things are being rattled and shaken. The earth is trying to break in different places.”
There is no doubt that this is exactly what has been taking place.
But here is the good news.
You and I do not live under the dominion, rule or control of the curse. We have been redeemed from devastation and destruction. We are not subject to the times. Psalm 31:15 says, “My times are in Your hand” (New King James Version). Jesus paid the full price for our protection in times like these.
Look at 2 Peter 1:4, “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” The Bible in Basic English says we have been “made free from the destruction which is in the world.” Galatians 1:4 reveals that it is God’s will for us to be delivered “from this present evil world.”
Jesus prayed for our protection in John 17:15-17 (NKJV): “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” Through God’s WORD, Jesus has separated us from the collateral damage of the curse. He made a way for us to live in this world, but remain totally and completely untouched by its effects.
You could say we are “The Untouchables”!
Proverbs 19:23 (New International Version) says, “The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.” First John 5:18 tells us, “We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.” Psalm 91:7-10 assures us, “A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.” I often declare verse 10 as a confession of faith, based on the King James Version and The Amplified Bible: “There shall no evil or calamity come near my dwelling!”
There is a “dwelling”—a place of protection where you and I can live untouched by any attack of the enemy. In Psalm 91:1, it is called “the secret place of the most High.” In Psalm 32:7, it’s called the “hiding place.” And in Psalm 27:5, “For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.”
In this prophetic word from The LORD, “Everything is going to be all right in the household of faith!” it is called “the household of faith.”
That word has been such an encouragement to Terri and me. We have been standing on that phrase ever since it was uttered the evening of Aug. 6, 2010. Whenever we have faced tough times, we would just look at each other and simply say, “Everything is going to be all right in the household of faith.” It would cause such faith to rise up in our hearts. I even found a scripture that perfectly corresponds with this statement. The Message translation of Jude 1:1-2 says, “I, Jude, am a slave to Jesus Christ and a brother to James, writing to those loved by God the Father, called and kept safe by Jesus Christ. Relax, everything’s going to be all right; rest, everything’s coming together; open your hearts, love is on the way!”
“The household of faith” is our untouchable place of protection from any attack of any kind. It is the place where everything is going to be all right. The way to stay in that “untouchable place” is made clear in our word from The LORD. Thank God for His instructions—His “how-tos” for walking out this victory. The LORD said, You will have to make a stand. You will have to fight the good fight of faith. Stand on My WORD, and it will not come near you. Praise and worship and preach The Word. Don’t feed fear and trouble into your life and into your mouth. Feed on My Word and not on the bread of sorrow. Fear not!
When we stand on God’s WORD, we become rooted and grounded in something that is unshakable and unmovable. We are surrounding ourselves with God’s impenetrable shield. Psalm 91:4 (NKJV) tells us, “He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth (His WORD) shall be your shield and buckler.” The Hebrew translation of this verse actually says He is our “circle of protection.”
As long as we stand on The WORD, stay out of fear, walk by faith and exercise our authority, we will remain completely protected in the household of faith.
Our End-Time Mission
We are not protected just to be protected. First Peter 1:9, New Living Translation, reveals that the goal of our faith is the salvation of souls. The Body of Christ has an important end-time mission to the people who have and will experience the ravages of the world’s evil.
When trouble comes, we don’t just “head to the hills and hide out in the household of faith” until the storm passes over. We walk right into the midst of trouble, being totally insulated by our circle of protection. Our mission is to rescue those who are caught in the devil’s reign of terror and pull them into the household of faith. We are protected so we can get people to the place in their lives where everything is going to be all right.
If the word of The LORD is telling us conditions are going to get worse, and that hard things are coming, then we need to be ready to help.
That is why we are here.
It’s who we are, and it’s what we do.
That is our mission in these dangerous times.
Romans 15:1 (NKJV) tells us, “We then who are strong ought to bear the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” The Message translation of verses 1-4 is amazing!
Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, “How can I help?” That’s exactly what Jesus did. He didn’t make it easy for himself by avoiding people’s troubles, but waded right in and helped out. “I took on the troubles of the troubled,” is the way Scripture puts it. Even if it was written in Scripture long ago, you can be sure it’s written for us.
Our end-time mission is to help clothe, feed and teach others The WORD of God in their times of desperation. The end result is that they grow up in The WORD and become so established they are able to reach out and clothe, feed and teach others in their time of need.
“Father, thank You for protecting us in these dangerous times. But we realize this protection is not just for us. Our mission is clear. We will reach out to the destitute and the hopeless and lead them into the household of faith—where everything is going to be all right!”
*This article taken from October 2015 issue of BVOV Magazine. Read the PDF version here.
